Riyadh's payment of the salaries of Yemenis and the lifting of the siege on Yemen are basic demands and conditions for any agreement, the head of the Yemeni negotiating delegation, Mohammad Abdul Salam said on Friday.

This came in an interview published by the Majal forum, under the title "Does the new Yemen represent a threat to Saudi Arabia?"

"It is normal that Riyadh and Sanaa exchange visits on the humanitarian and political levels," Abdul Salam said, stressing that "paying the salaries and lifting the siege are prerequisites for any agreement, and matters depend on how the Saudi regime will handle the new stage's requirements."

"Saudi Arabia's fears that a strong and independent Yemen rises are unreasonable," he said, explaining that "mercenaries are working to exaggerate these fears in order to invest them at the expense of the country's security and interest." 

Abdul Salam emphasized that the humanitarian issue is what should be the first point for any future agreements.

Unreasonable fears

"We believe that the Saudi side's concerns are due to the strategic location of Yemen and its population and abundant resources," Abdul Salam noted.

"The Saudi regime is afraid that countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council and other countries in the region be independent and strong, let alone Yemen, the country with the largest area after the Kingdom in the peninsula, in terms of area, population, capabilities, and strategic location," he pointed out.

"Saudi Arabia's best interest is for Yemen to have an independent, stable, and prosperous state," Abdul Salam continued, stressing that "if the state is not self-managed, in accordance to its strategic interests and obligations to its people, it will be managed by external powers. This was the problem of the recent mortgage regimes, which were unable to achieve any strategic interests for Yemen."

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However, Abdul Salam stressed that "if there are other concerns related to borders, region, and security, it is only natural that discussion of such issues takes place between the countries, as happens between any two countries."

The head of the Yemeni negotiating delegation then talked about the role played by some mercenaries, who stand by Saudi Arabia, "in exaggerating many fears and drawing many regional conflicts into the Yemeni arena."

This role "keeps Saudi Arabia from looking at the chances of peace," Abdul Salam explained.

Humanitarian file is a priority, and the ball is in Riyadh's court

Abdul Salam affirmed that "the end of the truce came as a result of previous agreements ending, which were concluded under the auspices of the United Nations, given that it had completed or exhausted its options, and the payment of salaries became a basic requirement."

He pointed out that the ball is in the Saudi regime's court, because "relations between Sanaa and Riyadh are primarily linked to the latter's position and the way it deals with it."

"Sanaa is on the defensive, and this is clear. As for Riyadh, it is the one leading a major international coalition and working in the international corridors on continuing the blockade on Yemen and keeping the diplomatic pressure, with the United States of America and the United Kingdom behind the scenes," he said.

Regarding the recent mutual understandings and visits of delegations, Abdul Salam explained that "meetings and visits between the parties for humanitarian or political goals are normal."

Speaking on behalf of the Sanaa government, he added that the Yemenis "support these directions, and the most important thing is that there be a tendency to discuss all humanitarian aspects, not just the prisoners' issue, which is considered one of the basics, in addition to opening airports and ports, removing restrictions on goods, and lifting the unjust siege on Yemen."

International developments are an opportunity to realize the need to end the aggression

With regard to the changes in the international and regional arenas and their connection to the Yemeni issue, the head of the Yemeni negotiating delegation stressed that despite the effects, “We believe that it will not have a significant impact, because the US and British standpoints, as well as, unfortunately, the Saudi and Emirati, are similar."

He pointed out that the only possible effect "goes to the Saudi side realizing that the war and aggression against Yemen are no longer in the interest of the Saudi regime, nor the future relations between the two countries or the future of the two peoples."

"These developments may be an opportunity to re-evaluate the situation in Yemen, in terms of peace and stability," Abdul Salam concluded, stressing that the interest of the two countries is understanding, coexistence, dialogue, and eliminating problems.